Minnesota license centers see long wait times as Real ID deadline nears
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After more than a decade of delays, the deadline to get a Real ID is finally real.
Starting May 7, people will need a Real ID, passport or other federally approved identification for domestic air travel. That deadline has led to a run on license centers across the state.
On a cool morning earlier this week, a line of people snaked outside the Washington County License Center in Woodbury before its doors opened at 8:30.
“I have been here since 8:20, before they opened and now I'm done at like 10 now,” said Debalke Gebeyehu from Oakdale.
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He expected getting a Real ID would take a while — he took time off from work for it — but thought maybe an hour at most. By the time he arrived, he said there were already about 50 people in line. He has a passport card, but he says he'd rather just have one ID for domestic travel.
“I’m here now, because I’m planning to travel next week or after next week, but I’m not sure if I will get it before then,” he said.
The Real ID program was first approved by Congress in 2005, in the aftermath of 9/11, to enhance security for licenses and IDs accepted by federal agencies and airport security. Getting a Real ID requires more documentation than a normal driver’s license.
Real ID deadlines came and went for years. But now, with the actual deadline next month, people who weren't sure if the requirement would ever be implemented are now waiting hours to get their new IDs.
“That’s the confusing part. I heard talking about real ID before, like five, six years ago,” Gebeyehu said. “Now it’s the last minute. Everybody’s waiting for that.”
There has been a recent communications blitz by the federal government and the state about that quickly approaching deadline. The state has posted videos in eight languages on how to get a Real ID. That campaign has pushed many to finally apply, putting pressure on the state's license centers.
Washington County said it's received "an influx of customers" due to the deadline and has adjusted staffing because of it. Still, it had wait times as high as four hours. It's asking customers to pre-apply online, and to check wait times on the license center website.
And it’s not just there — Wright County, Hennepin County and others have also reported long lines.
The ID requires much more documentation. Applicants need documents confirming identity, date of birth and citizenship or legal residency in the U.S., like a passport or legal residency card. They also need two documents proving their address, like a tax return, driver’s license or bank statement. They also need to know their Social Security number.
State officials say it is taking about 45 days for Real IDs to be mailed out after submitting the application.
Inside the Woodbury license center Wednesday, the line was consistently several dozen people long. Some waited inside; others, like Zach O'Grady of Woodbury, went out to their vehicles.
“I’m going to just sit in my truck for the next couple hours, do a little bit of work and periodically check in with where I’m at in the line,” he said. He already has a Real ID, but he needed to get his license renewed. Even doing that was going to take a while.
“DMVs are obviously flooded with people right now that are coming in, but it’s nice not going through the process,” he said. “Now it’s just a renewal, instead of going through all of the paperwork and backup and everything. So it’s an easier process for me with it now, but the wait is going to be pretty substantial.”
While the deadline is looming, officials are also reminding people that there are other options for identification when traveling domestically, including federal forms of ID.
“A passport, a U.S. passport card, or any foreign government-issued passport,” said Jody-Kay Peterson, program director for driver services with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.
If people have those already, “there’s no rush to come in, that person can wait till the regular renewal time.”
The TSA said people who do not have an acceptable form of ID once the deadline is passed may be asked to complete an identification verification process at the airport, but they could also not be allowed into security checkpoints.